Renshaw, David help Australia seal series with narrow win

Matt Renshaw's unbeaten 89 and Tim David's 26-ball 45 powered Australia to 196 for 5 before their bowlers held their nerve to beat Bangladesh by seven runs in the second T20I in Chattogram. Bangladesh threatened to pull off the chase after racing to 103 for 2 at the halfway mark and remained in the hunt deep into the final over through Towhid Hridoy's late assault, but Australia closed out the game to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Bangladesh made an ideal start after opting to bowl, reducing Australia to 44 for 3 inside the Powerplay. After conceding 12 runs in his first over, Nasum Ahmed struck a crucial blow by trapping Josh Inglis LBW, while Nahid Rana's extra pace accounted for Cooper Connolly with a sharp catch by Saif Hassan at slip. Mitchell Marsh, who started positively, fell to Mustafizur Rahman for 20 off the last ball of the Powerplay, leaving Australia's middle order with much work to do.

The innings gained momentum through a counterattacking partnership between Tim David and Matt Renshaw. David immediately took on Bangladesh's pace, pulling Nahid for a six before unleashing himself against Abdul Gaffar Saqlain, whose second over cost 19 runs - including two sixes and a four for David. While David provided the muscle, Renshaw settled into his innings before joining the assault, particularly against the spinners. The pair added quick runs through the middle overs bringing up the half-century stand in quick time as they took Australia past 100 in the 12th over.

Renshaw took apart Rishad Hossain, smashing three consecutive sixes to bring up his fifty in 29 balls. With David continuing to find the boundary at the other end, the pair set Australia up for a good finish after the early wobble. Saqlain eventually broke the partnership - worth 97 in 50 balls - by dismissing David, while Nasum Ahmed later trapped Nikhil Chaudhary LBW. But Renshaw remained in complete control and received good support from Joel Davies in an unbeaten 42-run stand the came in the last four overs, including two sixes off Mustafizur in the last over.

The Bangladesh openers began positively in the chase, adding 48 inside the first four overs. Spencer Johnson went for 22 in the second over, while Aaron and Nathan Ellis also went for boundaries as Bangladesh got off to a brisk start. Renshaw was introduced in the fourth over and his off spin did the trick as Tanzid Hasan Tamim handed a catch back to the bowler to depart for a 15-ball 30. Meanwhile, Johnson went for 17 in his second over as Saif Hassan struck a six and Soumya Sarkar hit two fours, with Bangladesh ending the Powerplay strongly at 72 for 1.

Adam Zampa ended Sarkar's stay by having him caught at long on, but Parvez Hossain Emon came out with a positive intent, striking two successive sixes off the legspinner as Bangladesh moved past 100 in the 10th over. Parvez and Saif continued to deal in boundaries as they brought up a half-century stand in 33 balls. But Australia bounced back with quick wickets, with the set pair departing in successive overs. Aaron Hardie bagged the wicket of Parvez while Davies picked up the wicket of Saif, both caught by Marsh in the cover region, as Bangladesh slipped to 134 for 4 in the 14th over.

Bangladesh needed 54 off the last five overs and Towhid Hridoy tried to ease the pressure with a couple of boundaries off Zampa. Ellis then bowled an excellent 17th over, having Shamim Hossain caught at deep square leg and conceding only two runs, leaving Bangladesh needing 42 off the last three overs. Despite being hit for a four by Saqlain, Zampa gave away only eight runs in the 18th over. It came down to 23 in the final over after Ellis went for 11 in the 19th, being hit for a four by Saqlain and a six by Hridoy. Bangladesh needed 23 in the last over and 18 off the last three balls when Hridoy hit a six off Hardie. But with 12 needed, he could only manage a four and fell off the last delivery as Australia overcame Bangladesh in a tense finish.

Brief scores: Australia 196/5 in 20 overs (Matt Renshaw 89* off 52, Tim David 45 off 26; Nasum Ahmed 2-27) beat Bangladesh 189/6 in 20 overs (Saif Hassan 42 off 33, Parvez Hossain Emon 36 off 22; Aaron Hardie 2-40) by 7 runs.